The forthcoming EU summit in Riga expects specificity from Armenia.
The year 2015 is important for the EU-Armenia relations. During the year, the range of the EU-Armenia partnership and the future of these relationships will be clarified.
Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Traian Hristea stated at the recent international conference that the EU has started to work on the new agreements on Armenia-EU negotiations, emphasizing that their goal is to promote the civil society participation in the further formation of bilateral relations between the EU and Armenia and that the EU outlines long-term relationships with Armenia, and the parties have the political will.
The EU summit to be held in May in Riga. European officials stress that they expect to have realistic expectations from the Riga summit. EU will not leave Armenia, assure European diplomats. The EU intends to support the private sector in Armenia – the development of SMEs, for which it is envisaged to provide a 19 million euro to Armenia. The EU will also support the continuation of the reforms in the justice system and modernization of the public institutions. This year, the amount for the civil society has also been increased, making 2.1 million euros. For the protection of human rights in Armenia, the EU plans to provide 12 million euros and 15 million for the neighborhood investment incentives.
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Europeans came to realize that Armenian citizens have yet to understand what the EU is, they should understand more clearly why the EU spends the EU taxpayers money for programs in Armenia, recently noted Hristea.
In general, the Europeans not only demonstrate specific activeness with regard to the matters of clarifying the level of relations with Armenia, but also with regard to the regional security issues. European countries are seriously concerned about the escalation of tension on the Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan border and the statements often voiced from Azerbaijan about the possibility of a military solution to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Having the Ukrainian conflict grown to confrontation between the West and Russia as an example, the EU has realized the risk of an outbreak of one hotbed in the South Caucasus, and is trying to more actively contribute to the peace process.
EU summit hosted in Riga is really important, especially in terms of what we expect from the EU and what we are ready. With joining the EaEU, indeed, we restricted numerous opportunities of our development, but now, nothing prevents inside our country if we truly apply the rules by which the universal values-abiding countries are guided.
It would be better for Armenia to come up with specific recommendations and Action Plan at the Riga summit, quite honestly stating as to what extent the membership to the EaEU enables our country putting the relations with the EU on a new source.
The newly appointed Ambassador of Poland to Armenia Jerzy Novakovsky recently did not rule out the possibility of Armenia’s signing only the political component of the EU Association Agreement without joining the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade component. The Ambassador also added that Poland hopes that the official Yerevan will specify its position at the next upcoming EU Eastern Partnership Summit held in May in Riga, by presenting possible boundaries for the partnership with the EU.
Little time is left for the upcoming EU summit in Riga, but there is still enough time to be seriously prepared for it and to adequately respond to the messages of the Europeans.
Emma GABRIELYAN
